The Background
HisStory
note from the author: this page is intentionally named HisStory – it is a play on the root word, as this page will share history and his story, with you.
Foundations
Credit for my foundations in music and media should rightfully go to my parents.
From as early as I can remember, weekends in the family household were always filled with the classics being played on my father's Sony Stereo System:
> Foundation List
Both parents were involved with the arts during earlier periods of their lives.
– My Mother is expressly a Dancer. She would often reminisce and share stories of her tenures in dance groups throughout her youth, with revered instructors such as Willie Killie. Throughout my life, her peers have on occasion shared tales of her being the "Party Starter" or the "1st on the Dancefloor". Coincidently, some of those occasions were instances where my Father may have been the Disc Jockey.
– My Father, as his peers would often remind me, was always notably a Poet. He would perform pieces at many concerts alongside other revered poets such as Miss Bernie Irish. Amongst many aspects of stage/show management, my father was always passionately involved with the lighting aspect. He would often reminisce of instances, from the times of my birth through to pre-school, where I would accompany him to the Cinema in Plymouth. He would also often boast, that I was always at my most behaved & most comfortable, alongside him at a Lighting Console, apart from any other area of the Cinema. To date, my father would be most associated with the "Drive Time Radio Programme"; a thirty (30) year old initiative dedicated to Road & Traffic Safety.
I have been very fortunate to have had parents who could appropriately nurture my creativity.
Inspirational Years
Throughout my life, various members of my support system would have expressed their desires for me to play an instrument; preferably piano or guitar. They had always considered that fingers which my genes allowed were best suited with those instruments.
In the Summer of 1999 I would be introduced to the Fife; an instrument typically utilized for musical accompaniment of local Masquerade. The introduction came apart of a local Summer School Programme that I was enrolled in at the time.
In the months that followed, I would continue to teach myself, by finding the music notes to play Nursey Rhymes. At that point in life I had also been introduced to the Legend of Zelda by a childhood friend Craig Perkins. I was a fanatic of the Sony PlayStation and Craig a fanatic of everything Nintendo. I also continued to teach myself by playing songs that were utilized in the Zelda Games, especially as they featured the use of another wind instrument, the Ocarina.
My Passion for Music as an artform would have been formed in my Primary School years.
In what was a post volcanic crisis time, Festival Village was erected at this point in Little Bay.
As many of peers could attest to, at that time, the Status Quo for any youth was to be situated on the right side of the village stage, especially during the performances of:
> List of Artist
That period had inspired me to ultimately give back to my island's culture and a next generation.
Early Life With Music
I was introduced to Junior Calypso, locally, in the year 1999 by Mr. Randall Greenaway. Referred to as "Zunky" by many and a Legend in his own right, however "Uncle Randy" for me as a childhood friend of both of my parents. Along with my Mother, they assisted me with selecting "Young Fortune" as a stage name, and he has been my mentor since.
At that time, Uncle Randy was seeking to mentor, yet another generation of musicians and artists. He had also recruited two other childhood friends, Jonique Fenton "Beauty" and Rondell Meade "Larrow" (at the time; direct homage to Arrow) Rondell has gone on to win multiple Soca Monarch titles in Montserrat.
> Picture of Zunky
During the years of my Secondary School Education, many youth would have been the Dancehall of Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel especially. Relatedly, many of us were inspired by Sound Clash culture at the time, and would go on to create and be apart of Sound Systems. I was a member of Imperial Sound, Rondell was a member of Terra Sound.
The Current Project
The current project began to take shape in the summer of 2018. I was returning to Montserrat from Barbados, after pursuing my First Degree with the University of The West Indies. Whilst in Barbados, much time was spent alongside Jarrell Fenton "Ringtone", navigating the entertainment industry of Barbados.
For a generation of youth, artists, and entertainers Ringtone is undoubtedly a pioneer. A Genius in his own right, he migrated much of his progresses in music to Barbados, and was notably established there at the time. We had the privilege of working alongside entities such as Monsta Piece & Island Roots.
Inspired by much, it was very easy to form the LOUD Fiyah Music Group with a group of friends and associates in music, upon my return to Montserrat. The year 2019 would mark my debut at a senior level. That year I would participate in the annual Soca Monarch competition for Montserrat with the track "Belly Full". Though unsuccessful of even placing in the competition, the track would prove to be a hit with fans and contribute to much of my success as household name.
"The rest, is his story still being made."